Under the spotlight: Fishburn
TAKING a turn under the spotlight ahead of the 2015 Scottish Open is former champion, Fishburn Band. Based in the north east of England, the band took the title in 2005 - and will be hoping to repeat that success a decade later on Howard Snell's set work.
Here is some more information on Fishburn and its conductor, Joe Cook.
Soprano cornet: Mal Usher
Principal cornet: John Gill
Flugelhorn: Joanne Behan
Solo horn: Michael Franey
Solo baritone: Neil Simpson
Solo trombone: Hugh Morris
Solo euphonium: Clive Parker
Solo Eb bass: Ben Cauldwell
Solo Bb bass: Keith Hepworth
Principal percussionist: Ryan Hanley
The Fishburn Band stems from the mining community of the small village of Fishburn near Sedgefield in the north east. In the early 1950s two men gave the impetus to set up a brass band in Fishburn, Mick Terrans and George Elliott.
At the outset, miners of the local colliery contributed each week to help the provision and maintenance of instruments and when first formed the band was called the Fishburn Colliery Welfare Band. Everyone worked extremely hard and Fishburn Band soon rose from an 'also ran' in the lower sections to become a contender in the championship section.
Over the years the band formed links, via sponsorship, with various firms associated with the mining industry, such as National Smokeless Fuels and Coal Products Limited while remaining loyal to the village of Fishburn. However, following loss of sponsorship the band fought back from financial collapse on three separate occasions.
Fishburn Band enjoys great support from the local community and working men's club, with a unique support group having been formed to help the band. The support group secretary is Billy Elliott (whose father, George, first thought of starting a band in the village). He was determined to keep the 'colliery pride' and wouldn't let the band fold.
The band is very much aware of its responsibilities as one of the north's premier bands and continually strives to maintain its high profile both on and off stage. Fishburn Band is registered as a charity but members still find the time to become involved in numerous local charity events in the village and surrounding areas.
November 2005 saw the band achieve its best ever result at a contest in winning the title of Scottish Open champions in Glasgow. February 2000 saw the band win the Durham County Brass Band League contest for the fifth year in succession and in March 2006 the band secured a place to represent the northern area at the Brass Band Championships of Great Britain at the Royal Albert Hall at which we were placed a creditable 12th position against a very strong field of 20 bands.
In 2002, the band was given the privilege of being invited to the All England Masters Contest for the first time in its history followed by impressive results at the Grand Shield contest in Blackpool Winter Gardens each year in succession. The band was once again invited to the prestigious English Masters contest held in June 2008.
The band has had the benefit of being in good hands over the years under the direction of many excellent resident Musical Directors including William Makepiece, James Foxcroft, David Loukes, Steven Shimwell, Roger Payne, Roy Curran, Ian Robinson, Graham O'Connor and Chris Bentham, along with many guest Musical Directors. Recent professional conductors taking the band have been Russell Gray, David Roberts, Richard Evans and ex-Fishburn cornet player Alan Morrison, all of whom bring great experience and encouragement to the band.
Joseph Cook is an award winning tuba soloist, teacher and conductor. Born into a musical family in County Durham, he started playing with Boldon Colliery Brass Band before going the Ever Ready Band (now Reg Vardy) and also gaining entry to the National Youth Brass Band. He went on to study music and electrical engineering at the University of Leeds, working with Phillip Wilby, Robert Childs and Brian Kingsley.
He spent 14 years with the Black Dyke Band, joining at the age of 18, with whom he was principal tuba and been featured as a soloist throughout the UK and abroad (including USA, Australia, Bermuda, Switzerland and Canada), played on over 40 commercial recordings and won 11 major competitions (2 European, 4 British National, 2 British Open, and 3 English titles).
In 2006 Joseph won the Stanley Wainwright Memorial Trophy for the Best Soloist at The British Open Championships at Symphony Hall.
As a soloist, Joseph has also played throughout the UK and mainland Europe, including a performance of the Vaughan William Tuba Concerto with the Northern Sinfonia, and has been featured as a soloist on BBC radio, Doyen and Naxos recording labels. He was a 2 time semi-finalist at the BBC Young Musician of the Year and Shell London Symphony Orchestra Scholarship Competition. As a chamber musician he has performed with Northern Sinfornia, York Guildhall Orchestra, Fine Arts Brass, White River Brass, Jazz Action and the Guildhall Big Band.
Joseph released his first solo CD entitled 'Debut' in 2008, accompanied by Black Dyke Band and Dr Nicholas Childs, and features many classic tuba concertos as well as a new commission of a major work for tuba and brass band by Phillip Wilby called 'Cyrano'. He also commissioned Dan Price to write 'Mists on the Wear' for Tuba and brass band, recorded by Joseph and the Black Dyke Band as part of the bands Essential Dyke series of recordings.
He is tutor at the International Brass Band Summer School and has also tutored at Yorkshire Youth Brass Band, National Childrens Brass Band, National Youth Brass Band of Wales and has served on the judging panel for BBC Young Musician of the Year. Other teaching includes 10 years of continued experience in the classroom, as both a teacher of Music and Mathematics, up to and including A-level, and teaching brass at the University of Newcastle.
With a developing conducting career, Joseph has worked with bands such as Reg Vardy and Fishburn and has gained tuition from Dr Nicholas Childs and Ray Farr.
